Relations
by Callie Elizabeth
Summary: A tale of Remy's changing relationship with Professor Xavier and the X-Men. Please note that this story is no longer being updated
1. Chapter 1

Relations

Summary: An AU version of Remy's changing relationship with Professor Xavier and the X-Men

Disclosure: I own nothing recognizable, it all belongs to Marvel.

Author's Note: I am not following any particular comic series, and have changed various things about the history of the X-Men characters. If that bothers you, then this story isn't for you.

Chapter 1:

The small cafe was very popular in New York City and was frequented by many business men and women on lunch breaks and coffee runs. The small tables and simple chairs were reminiscent of cafes found in Europe. The simple but tasteful décor complimented the delicious pastries and sophisticated coffees that the cafe offered it patrons.

Professor Xavier sat in a standard wheelchair at one of the small tables with a coffee cup in front of him. He held the newspaper, but it didn't capture his attention. Every time the door opened a small bell chimed to welcome the new patron. Upon hearing the bell he continuously looked towards the door hoping that it was his awaited associate.

Taking another sip of his coffee he once again glanced at his watch. He was now worried, they had planned on meeting an hour ago. He would give the man another half hour before he would regretfully exit. He once again wished that he had a way of contacting the young man, but he had not thought to bring his laptop and the only way they communicated was by e-mail.

He was not angry that the man was late, but he was concerned. Trouble seemed to follow the young man no matter what the circumstances. He had come alone because this was an associate that the X-Men had no knowledge of. Despite the secrecy he had been very valuable to the team.

Xavier ordered a scone and a refill of his drink in order to keep his table. He sighed gently as he realized that the man may not show up. He tried to force his attention back to the paper that he had set upon his lap. He found himself still unable to focus on any of the articles that he glanced at. He once again wished that he was able to contact the man to insure his safety, at the very least.

He wasn't startled when his companion silently slid into the seat across from him at the small cafe table. "Je suis désolé," the young man admitted.

"It is good to see you Remy," he greeted. "I was beginning to worry," Xavier informed him while he appraised the young man's appearance. He was dressed casually in jeans and a simple charcoal colored shirt which was mostly hidden beneath his long black trench coat. His dark red hair hung loose, grazing his shoulders. Sunglasses hid his eyes even though it wasn't sunny outside and Xavier understood the reason for that.

"Flight was delayed," Remy informed him. As he made the statement Xavier noticed his bags for the first time. He had placed a duffle bag under the table and a laptop bag upon his lap.

"I didn't realize you were just arriving," Xavier replied. He knew the young man spent most of his time traveling so he wasn't very surprised.

"Oui," Remy said as he stood. "Need a drink," he informed Xavier as he walked away from the man.

Xavier nodded and watched his retreating form. Remy seemed more nervous than Xavier had ever seen him in the past and that worried him.

Remy ordered a large black coffee and instantly felt his tired body gain some much needed energy as he drank the dark liquid. He had almost decided not to meet with Xavier because he would much rather have checked into a hotel, but he had set up the meeting over a month ago. His next stop would be the hotel for some much needed rest.

"Is everything alright?" Xavier questioned as he sat back down at the table.

"Tired," he informed the man. He wanted this meeting to end quickly, but he had no intention of being impolite. The man paid him well and he had no need to upset their relations.

"How long are you in town?" Xavier asked.

"I have a few days," Remy informed him. The statement had a hidden meaning that they both understood. If Xavier had a job for him then Remy had time to do it.

"How have you been Remy?" Xavier asked concerned.

"Fine," he replied. "Look Xavier, I ain't got the patience for small talk today."

"And yet you came," Xavier countered. He was surprised by the outburst; his conversations with Remy had always been formal.

"Respect ya Monsieur," Remy said honestly, "just too tired for pleasantries."

"Are you in trouble?" Xavier questioned. He was very concerned, the young man before him had never looked so worn down before.

"Oui," Remy confessed. "Was being followed," he admitted, "mais I think I lost him."

"You know I can offer you safety," Xavier explained.

"Non," Remy insisted. He always denied Xavier's offers of joining the X-Men; he wasn't the good guy type.

"I am not suggesting that you join us," Xavier informed him, "although that offer always stands."

Remy nodded, but was honestly unsure of what the man meant. He finished off his coffee and looked towards the counter trying to decide whether he needed another.

"I am simply offering you a safe haven," Xavier explained. Xavier understood that Remy lived a dangerous life and felt the need to offer the young man assistance in case it was ever needed. Remy had never asked for his help in the past, but Xavier didn't feel that he should stop offering.

"I'm alright," Remy insisted.

"For how long?" Xavier asked.

Remy had already contemplated Xavier's question, but admitting that to a client wasn't in his best interest. So it was best to simply change the subject. "Do you have a job?" He asked uncomfortable.

"We both know that is not what this meeting is about," Xavier replied.

"Oui," Remy conceded.

They had met every few months for the past two years. Neither remembered why they had begun the tradition but neither objected to it either. Xavier used the meetings as a way to make sure that Remy was alright because he genuinely worried about the boy. His ulterior motive was always to convince Remy to join the X-Men because his skills would be an asset to the team. For now however, he forced himself to be content with simply checking on his safety and making sure that he wasn't in any real danger. Today Professor Xavier was not reassured.

Remy didn't know why he continued to meet Professor Xavier. It had become a habit before he could avoid it and now he was leery of breaking it. It felt good to know that there was someone looking out for him. Plus Xavier paid him well for his services and he didn't want to upset one of his best clients by neglecting to meet with him in person when it was requested.

"If there's no job then I'll be leaving New York shortly," Remy informed him. It wasn't a threat; he was simply informing the man that he was only in New York for this meeting.

"Who was following you?" Xavier asked. He understood the hidden meaning to Remy's words immediately and hoped to spend a few more minutes with the thief.

"Not sure," Remy replied as he stood up. He wasn't sure who was trailing him, but there wasn't a short list of people that it could have been. He'd figure it out eventually, but for the moment he was pretty sure that he had shaken them from his trail. He wouldn't have met with Xavier if he hadn't truly believed that. Exposing an employer wouldn't have been a smart idea. "Need anything?" Remy asked as he motioned back towards the counter.

"No, but thank you," the Professor replied. He didn't turn to watch Remy as he walked towards the counter and requested another caffeine filled drink. When the young man returned he pulled out his laptop and turned it on without a word. Xavier sat patiently without objection.

"I hacked into your system," Remy informed him after a few minutes.

Xavier nodded. "Do you have any recommendations?" he asked. He should have been angry that someone had hacked into the X-Men's computers, but Remy was the one exception. Remy was encouraged to hack in; Xavier paid him for the service.

"Already fixed most of your new problems," Remy informed him as he looked up from the screen in front of him. "E-mailed you the details," he continued.

"Anything drastically wrong?" Xavier asked.

"Non," Remy replied. "Mais you may wanna be careful what you download. I got rid of the viruses, no extra charge."

Xavier laughed, "how considerate."

Remy couldn't help but join in the laughter. "Oui," he agreed charmingly.

"I'll wire your payment when I return to the mansion," Xavier informed him.

"Merci," Remy replied while closing the laptop in front of him. He hadn't needed it for his conversation with Xavier; it had just seemed like a good moment to check on a few things. "I best be going," he informed Xavier.

"I do have a job," Xavier explained.

Remy nodded and leaned across the table, placing his elbows on the now closed laptop that sat in front of him. "Quoi?"

"There's a new Sentinel being designed," Xavier explained, "and I need the plans."

Remy sighed. "That's simple. I'll e-mail you the plans by tomorrow." With that said he slipped the laptop back into its bag and finished his coffee.

"Your usual fee?" Xavier asked.

"Just charge you for the hotel Monsieur, the info I get you for free." He planned on getting the nicest penthouse that the city had to offer for the night, so he wasn't truly doing the job for free.

"That's unusual," Xavier replied frowning. He had been willing to pay Remy's usual fee and was surprised when the price wasn't being charged.

Remy shrugged. He knew that finding the design of the Sentinels would only involve some hacking online instead of breaking into a facility. He could find the details in the cafe, but he was too tired to work on it before getting a few hours of sleep. "Be seeing you Monsieur," Remy stated as he stood up with both bags in hand.

"Please Remy do not hesitate to call me if you need anything," Professor Xavier insisted.

"I'll be fine," Remy insisted. He had no intention of getting any more involved with Xavier and the X-Men then he already was.

"In case you change your mind," Xavier replied as he shook the younger man's hand. He slipped a card with his number on it into Remy's palm the same way he did every time they ended one of their meetings.

"Merci," Remy replied and accepted the card like he always did.

Remy slipped out of the cafe just as quietly as he had entered it. He didn't even spare a glance back as he hailed a cab.

Xavier paused for a few moments before calling Scott Summers to pick him up from the small cafe.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

It had been 3 months since their last meeting and Remy had only e-mailed him a handful of times. Xavier's interest and worry were peaked and he had looked forward to this meeting almost as soon as their last one had ended. It had been a quiet time with the X-Men, but he had no intention of losing Remy. His assistance had proven to be vital in the past and Xavier was sure it would be needed again in the future.

The restaurant that they were meeting in was an unusual place for them to get together. Remy had suggested it and although Xavier had been reluctant he had agreed without question. They were to meet at four; it was purposely planned so that they would be there before the dinner rush, but also arrived an hour after the high class place opened for the day. Xavier was early the way he always arrived but that was a personality trait more than it had anything to do with Remy.

Much to Xavier's relief Remy arrived right on time and was handsomely dressed to blend in with their surroundings. "Bonjour," he greeted as he arrived at the table and took a seat. His demeanor was calm and relaxed and he smiled confidently.

"Hello Remy," Xavier replied with a smile. The young man met his eyes in a way that he had avoided during their last meeting. This was the Remy that Xavier was use too; he was confident, charming and lacked the air of nervousness that he had radiated at the café. "You look well," he voiced his appraisal.

For his part Remy kept the charming smile in place as he picked up the menu. He needed to erase the weariness that his appearance and behavior had caused during their last meeting. He had told Xavier too much back then and he now needed to make the man forget. "Merci," he acknowledged without creating any awkward air around them.

The waiter had taken their orders before they had spoken another word to one another. If Xavier had caught Remy examining the layout and occupancy of the restaurant then he hadn't outwardly admitted it. Remy needed to know those sorts of things at all times in case he needed to make a quick escape, he didn't believe Xavier would set him up, but it wasn't a habit that he could ignore.

When he was sure that they would have a few minutes alone their conversation began. "Mr. LeBeau offered to give me a new agent," he informed Remy. The term that LeBeau had used was thief, but Xavier pointedly avoided that term. It was the most essential fact that Xavier had wanted to talk to Remy about today. It wasn't the sort of thing he could e-mail the young man about. He wasn't sure if the Guild read their communication, but he would not have been surprised if they did.

"I was," Remy paused for a moment as he tried to come up with a word, "unreachable," he finally settled upon. "Monsieur LeBeau likes to keep his best clients happy," Remy tried to justify. Remy's heart raced as he tried to act casually. The whole purpose of this meeting was to reassure Xavier not arouse new suspicion. His father should have warned him that he offered to replace him while he had been busy on another job.

"I am uninterested in hiring another member of the guild," Xavier stated as he kept his voice quiet. "My trust is in you Remy, no one else."

"I will relay the message," Remy agreed with a nod.

"I have already informed him," Xavier insisted.

Remy swallowed hard as he nodded again. His mouth was dry and he was thrown off balance from his lack of knowledge about Xavier's communication with Jean-Luc. Did Xavier somehow find out that the man was his father? It seemed impossible, but Remy would have to ask the next time he spoke with Jean-Luc.

"Why were you unreachable?" Xavier asked after Remy failed to continue with their conversation.

Remy smiled as he lifted his wine glass from the table, "that is a question that you aren't allowed to ask Xavier." They both knew the absolute truth of his words. Other clients, other jobs, anything that happened outside of Xavier's commissions were off limits. Neither man had ever pretended that Remy worked exclusively for Xavier.

Xavier sighed as he had already anticipated the response, but had hoped for more. "You should have contacted me," he insisted unnecessarily, "I am always willing to help."

"I didn't say I was in trouble," Remy insisted. He had purposely said unreachable because that could mean so many different things. In truth Remy had been on a mission for another client that had lasted much longer than anyone had hoped it would. The details were not something that he would ever explain to Xavier. However, he hadn't been in trouble, not the kind that Xavier was talking about.

Their food arrived soon after that and the waiter ceremoniously set it upon their table and politely asked if they needed anything else. They both appeared delighted although neither wanted to eat at the moment. Both took a bite and because of the need to continue to blend with their surroundings they both raved about the meal.

"My apologies for our last meeting," Remy offered when the restaurant staff was satisfied that they weren't required at the moment. Xavier raised his eyebrow at the statement but failed to respond because he was unsure of Remy's meaning.

"I believe I gave you the wrong idea," Remy offered. "It was a bad week; I should never have met with you." Remy needed to smooth things over, he couldn't have Xavier worried that he was constantly in some sort of trouble. The truth was that normally he wasn't. He was good at what he did, and no one knew who he really was. Sure, Xavier knew his first name, but that was all and it was much more than most of his clients were ever privy too. He worked for the New Orleans Thieves' Guild as mostly a freelancer. He was the adopted son of Jean-Luc the leader of the Guild, and he was the best that they had to offer. He went by the codename of Gambit and had very few long time clients, Xavier was an exception. Remy knew that in order to keep it that way he needed to convince the Professor that there was no need to constantly worry.

"I am glad that you did," Xavier informed him with a sad smile and a tilt of his head.

Remy read the sympathy on the man's face and frowned, that had definitely not been his intention. "There is no need for you to worry," Remy stated.

"Very well," Xavier conceded. "I shall stop trying to inquire about affairs that do not concern me," he offered.

Remy smiled at his success, "Merci Monsieur."

"Now, how have you truly been Remy? It has been several months."

"I've been well," Remy insisted. "What about you Sir? You had very few jobs for me the last few months. Is everything alright?" He turned the tables effortlessly and hoped that Xavier would allow it.

"Of course," Xavier insisted even though they both knew that it wasn't the truth.

"I thought you trusted me," Remy insisted. They had never before spoken about the troubles of the X-Men, but something about Xavier's expression made Remy insist that the man talk about it.

Xavier frowned and considered Remy carefully. The boy was already much too involved in the affairs of the X-Men. He could bring them down easily if he chose to and Xavier was disappointed that he had let his relationship with Remy get that far. He was concerned that he had too much faith in the young man and wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to give him even more information. Could he trust Remy of all people to be his confidant? "I believe you have asked a question that you aren't allowed," Xavier replied instead.

Remy was surprised and hoped that his face didn't show it. He had thought the Professor needed to talk to someone about what was troubling him and believed his offer would be well received. He was embarrassed that his own words had now been used against him. He was unsure of how to respond so he commented about his meal instead. He didn't deny that in that moment he thought of himself as a coward.

Xavier was sorry for being so harsh that Remy now refused to meet his eyes. He hadn't meant to insult the boy and was unsure of how to correct his mistake. "Remy," he said the man's name as if he were talking to Scott and the full realization that he thought of Remy as a son hit him. He almost panicked as words escaped him and he was left uncertain of how to continue his conversation with the man across from him.

"You're system is well secured," Remy informed him as he tried to scramble the conversation back to a normalcy that they had both grown accustomed to.

"Good," Xavier breathed and pretended that the sigh of relief was a response to the statement. He prayed that Remy didn't realize that it wasn't. "Thank you for checking," he continued as he slipped back into the conversation casually, "I will wire you the money when I return to the mansion." That had become a common phrase in their conversation and he enjoyed the smile of approval that Remy graced him with.

"Merci," he replied. He opened him mouth to speak again, but shut it when he lost his confidence to continue. He needed to suggest to Xavier that he should test their security system, but it really wasn't his place to make the suggestion. Xavier paid him to do the jobs that he required and Remy knew that he should not be suggesting additional jobs. Xavier may think he was simply getting greedy.

His hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Xavier who constantly appraised the man in his presence. "You may speak your mind," Xavier insisted. "I shall not judge you," he reassured, "I had hoped you would have realized that by now."

"It is not my place," Remy admitted. A break-in to the mansion would cost Xavier a hefty price so Remy should not be the one suggesting it. It was a conflict of interest just as much as it was a concern to the young man. It meant nothing for the X-Men system to be fully protected if their ground security was lacking. He could break in easily enough, but he needed to test it to make sure that no one else could.

Xavier lifted his wine glass and took a sip as he pondered how to get Remy to admit what was on his mind. "You have a suggestion," Xavier voiced his awareness.

"Oui," Remy admitted uneasily. "Mais it is a conflict of interest," he felt the need to add.

"Let me decide that," Xavier insisted.

"I want to break into the mansion," Remy admitted after insuring that no one was paying attention to them.

Xavier frowned and his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. The suggestion was unexpected and he had never contemplated anything like it before. Remy could definitely insure the mansion's security better than anyone currently at the mansion, but he would be intrusting the safety of his team to a man that none of them knew. "I'm unsure if I can give you an answer tonight," he admitted after a few minutes.

Remy nodded his head in understanding, "I was not expecting one," he informed Xavier. "I apologize for asking," he admitted, "I know it was not my place."

"No," Xavier said without hesitation. "Please continue to inform me when you think a particular job is necessary," he added. He completely meant what he said; this was Remy's expertise, not his.

The waiter soon came to clean the table and they both sipped on after dinner coffees after declining dessert. The evening was quickly coming to an end and both were content to enjoy the other's company for a few more moments.

"If I allow it," Xavier asked quietly, "will I be warned?"

"No," Remy informed him. "You would not know when it would happen. You must understand the need for that."

"Of course," Xavier acknowledged. "However if something should go wrong, you will want me to be in the mansion at the time," he informed Remy.

Remy smirked, "I know you are good for payment Xavier. There would be no need for your presence."

"That is not what I meant," Xavier explained. "If you were caught, my X-Men know nothing of you. My presence would be required to have you released."

"You doubt my skills?" Remy asked amused. He had thought that Xavier would object to his comment about payment and instead he was worried about his safety. This was his job and the ridiculous doubt that Xavier had just voiced amused him greatly.

Xavier sighed and then laughed at his own worry. "Of course not," he admitted.

"Just e-mail me with your decision," Remy suggested.

"That's unnecessary Remy," he stated as he had come to a conclusion after all. "You have my permission, but what will it cost?" He asked the question without much interest, Remy always charged him a fair price for his services.

Remy hesitated momentarily; he hadn't thought the Professor would agree so he didn't have a price ready. Calculating the variables in his head was proving to be difficult, "that would depend on how it goes. I bill you after the job," he insisted and hoped that Xavier would agree.

"Very well," Xavier agreed. They had enough history between them that Xavier didn't feel worried about the agreement.

"Do you have any other jobs for me?" Remy asked. He tried to keep the hopefulness out of his voice, but Xavier had been so quiet lately that Remy worried he was slowly losing his best client.

"Not at the moment," Xavier admitted. He read the disappointment on Remy's face as he made his admission, but couldn't come up with a job for him.

"Until next time then," Remy said as he stood.

"Stay safe," Xavier stated as he grasped the young man's hand and slipped his card into it.

"Merci," Remy responded before disappearing from the restaurant.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't until months later that Remy attempted his break-in. It had been a hard few months and he hadn't the time nor the right state of mind to accomplish this particular job. He waited until nightfall, but for the sake of a challenge he neglected to wait for the occupants to turn in for the night. They were all inside however, and located in the same general area. That would do just fine.

He scaled the outside wall and easily jumped down the 15 feet to the ground on the other side. The darkness of the second floor called him and he slowly and silently made his way across the lawn before climbing up a trellis to reach an open window. The bedroom he entered was messy and it disgusted him slightly as he made his way through piles of dirty clothes and empty wrappers. He briefly wondered which X-Man this room belonged to, but didn't bother wasting any time finding out.

He found his goal simply and quickly produced a silent electric screwdriver to unscrew the cover of the air vent in the room. It was large enough for him to slip into and he knew it would widen once he reached the hallway. He moved quickly, but silently through the long passage until he heard voices.

He stayed in the air vent simply listening to the conversation happening below. He knew he was lingering too long, but he couldn't help it. The normalcy of the conversation below held him in place. It had been so long since he had a normal, relaxed, real conversation with anyone he mused as he carefully remained still. He always had to play a part and act the way his audience expected, he wasn't even really sure what he would be like without the masks. He had never dared to reveal anything behind them. He stayed away from the vent because he didn't dare peak out the opening, if he did he knew his gaze may attract someone's unwanted attention and he couldn't risk that.

He closed his eyes and rested his cheek on the cold metal of the air vent. He strengthened his shields then envisioned which X-Men he thought were below. He had studied them extensively and felt no remorse for it. Xavier must have known that Remy would read whatever he was hacking; there were some things that were against even his own loose morals and he wanted to be sure of his client's intentions. He had learned that particular lesson the hard way and was more vigilant about who he worked for, even if they had been originally contracted through the guild. He tried to push the unsettling memory away and refocused his attention on the people below.

He knew from past experience that Xavier couldn't read him as long as his shields were up, so he doubted any of the other telepaths would sense him either. The only X-Man that he believed may be able to catch him was the Wolverine and Remy had planned his break-in to occur while the man was away. There was so much he wanted to explore in the huge building, but he had limited himself to staying for only 1 hour unless he needed longer to successfully escape unnoticed. There was no chance he would need longer, and he refrained a sigh while quietly crawling away from the voices below. There really was no risk, he had programmed much of the system himself and would now rewrite the rest from the control panel which conveniently was not located in the control room. He bit his bottom lip to prevent the chuckle that wanted to escape at the poor security around the controls themselves. How ironic.

When he arrived at a T junction he glanced to the left and was once again thankful for the night vision that his unique eyes provided before turning right and continuing. He would have to exit the ventilation system in order to proceed downstairs, but he wanted to be as close to the elevator as possible when he did it.

As he found himself arriving at the air vent that he would exit he prepared the tools he would need once he called the elevator. The scrambling device was one of his favorites and it would work perfectly at interfering with the wireless camera that gazed upon the elevator car. He could have crawled down the elevator shaft, but why go to extreme measures when they weren't necessary? He would only need the signal scrambled for 45 seconds; no one would notice such a small interference.

He held the grate up carefully while he cut the screws of the vent. He replaced them carefully once he was on the other side. He pressed the button to call the elevator and turned on his scrambling device. He stepped into the elevator and took it to the hidden level by entering a code he had programmed for himself. He had already concluded that the mansion was very secure, now he was simply enjoying the challenge of breaking in to the most protected part of the place. Yes and there was also the job of reaching the controls. He had a program ready to plug into them, but he had to reach them first. Of course he could have simply given Xavier the memory stick, but where would the fun be in that?

He tiptoed past the medlab that he believed would be occupied and made his way down a lighted hallway towards what the blueprints called a 'danger room.' He was curious so he peaked into the room once he made sure no one was around. The cameras in this part of the house were spaced to far apart, something he should recommend changing. However they were wired, so if they were changed he may not have the same ability to walk easily past them. It was a question he would have to ponder later because he didn't truly think anyone else could get past them as easily. Did he really want to close the door simply on himself?

The room was impossibly large, but empty. The walls and floor were both lined with silver steel. He frowned in disappointment, but didn't dare touch the controls. That would bring unwanted attention if he were to press the wrong button. Xavier had kept the details of this room well hidden from him and Remy felt uneasy when he couldn't figure out why.

He moved on after a moment and easily found the control panel that he was looking for. He worked in the dark, but his uncanny eyes hardly allowed him to notice. He uploaded the program and stood silently as it took a few moments to load. After his task was completed he made his way back upstairs.

As he made his exit quietly out of the mansion a sudden thought occurred to him and he backtracked and headed back towards the garage instead of out into the darkness that awaited him in the backyard. The kitchen was silent as he passed it this time and he walked silently through it and slipped into the laundry room that was located between the kitchen and garage. He opened the unlocked box and reconsidered his plan; he should be able to slip away without giving his presence away he calculated. His hand reached to pull a lever as he came up with an even better plan. He moved the hand back into his pocket and pulled out a card placing it inside the box he reached for the lever once again and pulled down before he could change his mind. He closed the circuit box once again and dashed away as all the lights of the mansion went out. He knew that particular circuit breaker didn't control the security, lab or computers; it simply powered the 'normal' part of the mansion.

Xavier sat alone in his office as the power went out momentarily before being promptly restored and thought nothing of it until Scott walked into his office holding one of Xavier's business cards. He smiled as he realized who had been responsible for the brief power outage. He would no doubt have an e-mail detailing the Mansion's security in a few hours and he would no doubt pay the man whatever Remy asked for. If only he could convince him to become an X-Man.

"Why are you smiling?" Scott asked with furrowed brows.

"No harm was done?" Xavier questioned as he repressed his grin.

"No, nothing that I am aware of," Scott replied, "someone just turned off the circuit breaker and left your card."

"Don't concern yourself, Scott," Xavier assured.

"What does that mean?" Scott questioned.

"Let it go," he insisted a bit more demanding then he would normally be. As he realized that he frowned deeper as his amusement over Remy's obviousness turned into angry concern. The boy didn't need to grab his attention like that; Xavier wouldn't have doubted his word that he made it into and out of the mansion without detection.

"Professor?" Scott repeated concerned.

Xavier looked up at him having heard his concern but being unable to break out of his worry. "It's truly alright," he assured Scott.

"You know who did this," Scott accused.

"Yes," he admitted. He would need to speak with Remy soon and find out what this display of arrogance was supposed to imply.

Remy cursed himself as he drove away on his hidden Harley. Why had he been so stupid? Did he really want the X-Men to learn about his part in their lives? Did he want to make them part of his? No, most definitely not. He had been turning down Xavier's invitations for years. It had been a weak moment at the end of a hard year he tried to justify to himself unsuccessfully.

He parked his temporary bike outside of his hotel and made it up to his suite. When he got there he opened a new deck of cards and stared out his window as he shuffled the deck to settle his nerves. The scotch that he poured a few minutes later helped his nerves much more than the cards did. He was tempted to go out on a heist to distract himself, but figured he was likely to make mistakes based on the mood he was currently in.

His eyes turned to the phone on an end table and he desperately wanted to call Belladonna, but knew that he couldn't and never would be able to again. He barely heard the glass smash against the floor as he slammed it down in hatred of the normalcy he had just witnessed at the mansion. They were all mutants too, why were they allowed happiness and love and normalcy while he had always been denied those. He was worth millions of dollars, but it was all worthless to him. He could go without working another day in his life, but then he'd be lost; then he'd have no purpose at all. It was a sad realization, but the truth always was.

He closed his curtains when he no longer desired to stare out at the worthless view. He sat down at the table and opened the laptop that sat upon it. After entering the security code he checked to see if Xavier had already tried to contact him. When he didn't see a message from Xavier he quickly glanced at the unread messages hoping that one would be from Jean-Luc. He rose in disappointment and filled a new glass with scotch. He'd leave a tip for housekeeping to take care of his mess. It had been a little over three months since the man had acknowledged his existence and Remy still struggled with the fact. He had taken everything away from him, the attempts months earlier to stop Xavier from working exclusively with Remy had only been the beginning. Remy was now exiled not only from the Guild, but from his family, his love and his home. Xavier had been one of very few clients that he had kept, and his stupidity may have just dwindled that number once again.

Xavier sat at his desk deep in thought once he convinced Scott to leave, he stared at his computer and hoped Remy would contact him soon. In truth he wanted to write to the young man, but could think of nothing to say. Something was wrong, but he knew if he asked too much then Remy would distance himself. He had seen the boy only a few months earlier and nothing had seemed wrong. When a message did appear in his inbox he hesitated before opening it almost frightened about what it may reveal. The sentence shocked him.

_I'm no longer Guild_

That was it, the rest of the page was blank and even the e-mail address that it had been sent from was slightly wrong. However, there were no doubts in Xavier's mind about who the message had been sent from. Xavier hit the reply button and attempted to compose a response that was compassionate, but not full of pity. He didn't want to offend the man, but wanted to assure him that the admission changed nothing. He had hoped that he had been clear at the restaurant months earlier; it hadn't been an act, he truly trusted Remy.

_Perhaps now is the time to explore my offer?_

He knew it wasn't the answer Remy wanted, but it was the best offer he could extend the young man and he hoped that Remy would accept it. Had Remy been trying to get caught earlier just to see how he would react? It made sense that the boy would reach out to familiar associates if he had left his Guild. That did bring up the question of why, but Xavier knew that Remy would never tell him that.

Remy read Xavier's response and chucked a slightly drunken laugh. Him, an X-Man? Yeah right, he wouldn't fit into the sports watching, lovely dovey, normal crowd that he had spied on earlier that night. He wasn't normal; he was a damned untrustworthy son-of-a-bitch thief.

_I ain't a damn hero_

He wrote those words because he thought 'fuck you' would have been too harsh.

Xavier contemplated his response carefully knowing not to push the boy. He had been suspicious that Remy may be leaving the Guild when Mr. Lebeau had contacted him months earlier, but the man had allowed the situation to fade immediately after his extremely negative response to the offer.

_You could be_

He typed the words before changing his mind and deleting them. Pestering Remy would get him nowhere. Instead he would move on to a different track of questions.

_Why the theatrics?_

He wasn't entirely sure what Remy's reaction to his question would be but his curiosity had justified his question enough to send it.

Remy's eyes narrowed at the words and he slammed the laptop closed. He'd have to deal with the rest in the morning. Xavier had to call him on his stupidity and here in his drunken mind he had no fancy words to cover the carelessness of his actions. In the morning he would contact Xavier with the details of his assessment before heading to Europe for a different client. Perhaps after that he would take a vacation? Yes that would do he decided as he lay down on the soft bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Xavier sighed when Remy didn't reply after a few moments. He should not have asked the question because he had known this would be the reaction. Perhaps he could convince Remy to meet him before he left New York. He sent an invitation, but doubted that the young man would agree.


	4. Chapter 4

Remy had avoided Xavier to the point of obviousness in the months that followed. He was unsure of whether it was due to his embarrassment or his unwanted desire to join the X-Men that kept him from communicating with Xavier like they had both grown accustomed to. He avoided New York entirely and imagined Xavier would move on. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted the man too, but he was too unbalanced by the entire relationship to attempt to repair it. Sadly, he found himself missing the man, their conversations, their meetings and the jobs that made him feel like he was more than a thief. He had almost felt important when he worked for Xavier knowing that the information he gathered benefited the X-Men. It was much more important than most of the things he had accomplished with his skills.

So it was with regret that he avoided the man, the mansion and the entire state for the next six months. He sent an occasional e-mail to assure the man of his safety, but always declined the man's attempts to lure him back with carefully thought out excuses. Xavier had stopped inviting him to New York after the third month, and stopped inventing petty jobs by the fifth. Remy had almost been disappointed when the newest e-mail simply thanked him for writing. It was done; a relationship fostered over years had been broken. Remy stopped writing after that, but he was ashamed that he let his pride ruin something so important.

He spent most of that time traveling. He began his adventure in Europe, but his favorite place surprisingly became Australia. He wasn't certain why; he had always assumed that France would gain his favor. He found that he felt uncomfortable in Japan and Russia was simply too cold for his tastes. He worked less, relaxed more, but still kept working for a small number of clients on occasion. No new clients of course; without the Guild, recruiting wasn't as easy and he had neither the desire nor the necessity to do it himself. It had become easier to live a life without the Guild, but he missed his family terribly.

His life had become freer then he ever desired it to be. He became careless and silly and petty and stupid. He had more time for foolishness in one month then most people had in a lifetime. His life was ultra-bachelorish though admittedly that was an entirely made up description. Seven months and millions of badly spent dollars later he felt more alone then he ever had before. So he went back to the United States hoping to gain back a sense of belonging.

It was during a relatively simple job in Seattle only days after he returned that his powers flared out of control for the very first time. It had been terrifying to watch his kinetic charge spread across the floor while being unable to pull it back despite his frantic attempts. He was barely conscious when the roof collapsed and the screams of others filled his ears before he succumbed to unconsciousness. He thought that would be his end, but somehow he had survived.

He awoke in Nathaniel's care, a long time client who like Xavier stuck by him when the Guild did not. The room was much like he would expect a hospital to be, but the white walls and sterile smelling environment had never comforted him. His bed was comfortable enough and the careful attention to his injuries was welcomed. He had never meet Nathaniel in person before, but his appearance seemed unnaturally average. He had known that the man was a doctor, and his neatly trimmed brown hair, his clean shaven face and authoritative appearance suited him and his profession well. The man was tall, but not extremely or alarmingly so. He was well mannered and attentive and Remy found himself trusting of the man more than he ever had in the past.

Jobs with Nathaniel had always been simple yet he had assumed there must have been a complexity that he failed to understand. Still at times it seemed Nathaniel merely wanted to know where he was rather then actually being in need of his skills. It disturbed him, but not enough to make him walk away from the man. Somehow he doubted his hesitancy would have been accepted anyways, Nathaniel always found him no matter how well he hid.

The nurse who cared for him was lovely, not all that beautiful in appearance but her bedside manner was acceptable. She was short, but in a sweet way that women sometimes were. She was of average build, not thin by any means but appropriately proportioned. Her hair was cut short, shorter than his own and colored a bleached blonde with dark black roots that suggested it was dyed that way. He had learned that her name was Amanda, but she had been shy about giving it to him at first.

A bracelet around his wrist blinked feverishly without pause, but he had grown accustomed to it the last few days. Nathaniel, or Dr. Essex as everyone else referred to him, had explained that it was being used to suppress his out-of-control power. That was alright with him, he would rather not take down the hospital that he was currently recovering in.

Amanda had been nervous when he asked her how long he had been unconscious and she had refused to provide him with a straight answer. It made the rest of the day awkward and he was unsure why such a simple question disturbed her. By the next day the question had been forgotten, because he made sure to set her at ease the next morning. He held his tongue when he wanted to ask why she was the only nurse that attended to him. He deduced that he was in Dr. Essex's private care, but the thought was not comforting.

A short walk around the room was difficult at first, but as he grew stronger he began to explore the closet and storage that surrounded him. He was saddened to not find any of his affects, but decided not to bring the subject up right away. He felt more like a prisoner and less like a patient each day. He tolerated the feeling until he was well enough to leave by his own determination. A stern look of disapproval from Dr. Essex was all it took to make him conceded to a few more days of treatment. He was told that he had almost died, so what were a few more days under doctor observation?

A few days turned into a week, and he grew impatient with the doctor, the room, and the unsocial nurse Amanda. As his impatience grew so did his anger and so he attempted to break out of the place that had long ago become his prison. His observations were frightening and when Dr. Essex had finally caught up to him in one of the lab rooms of the bizarre hospital he was shocked stiff by the room's content. He could only call them monsters, but he worried that that wasn't harsh enough of a description. The room was full of tubes with liquid filling the space not occupied by disfigured creatures. "Are they human?" he asked the question in a voice he didn't recognize.

"No," the doctor assured him as he turned him around with an almost comforting arm that guided him back into the overly bright hallway.

"Where am I?" he had asked as he forced himself not to tremble under the man's harsh anger.

"In a room that wasn't authorized to you," the doctor berated.

"Will you turn me into one of them?" he had asked unsure of why. Although he did not regret the question, his fate was already decided whether he asked it or not.

"That depends," Dr. Essex informed him and this time he trembled. He tried to ask the words, 'on what,' but all that came out was a gasp. In that moment he wished he had died at the theater. The man grasped his arm and he failed to fight him unsure if he had any strength to disagree with the man at all. "This is the only thing suppressing your powers," the man reminded him as they both stared at the blinking bracelet that encircled his wrist. Remy licked his lips unconsciously and hoped his hand would be released soon because it burned under the freezing hand of Essex. The contradiction didn't faze him; he had too many other thoughts racing through his head to notice.

"Do you fear me?" the doctor asked unexpectedly and Remy was unsure of what answer he required. He wanted to say the right thing, words had never escaped him so badly before. He trembled again in response untrusting of his own voice. A smile presented itself on the doctor's face, but it did little to comfort him. He opened his mouth to speak but was only able to take a shaky breath before shutting it once again. The doctor must have understood the answer because he let go of Remy's arm and turned back towards the room that had been his prison for the past few weeks. The room he now wished he hadn't left. "Come," the doctor beckoned and Remy followed.

"Have I not provided you with everything you require?" Essex asked condescendingly once they had both stepped back into his room. He nodded fearful of what would happen next. "You owe your life to me," the man informed him and Remy knew he had no room to argue. "Do you wish to repay the debt?" The sentence was asked as a question, but Remy knew there was no question among the words. He didn't want to end up a monster in one of the tubes. He would have to repay his debt and although he wished it simply meant working for free, he knew it would be far worse than that. "Well?" the man insisted when he had been unable to voice a reply.

"Of course sir," he slurred the words as if drunk, but he was relieved that he had said them at all.

"You will work for me exclusively," Essex insisted and Remy wondered how much the man knew about his other clients.

"Of course sir," Remy repeated unable to force any other words to come out.

"You will do everything and anything I ask," he continued. "Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," Remy replied.

"Show me that you will cooperate and I shall fix your powers," Essex informed him. He looked back at the bracelet and nodded, unsure that he could speak again. "As long as you are useful no harm shall come to you," Essex assured. His features had softened with those words, though his authority had not been compromised by the change. Remy nodded again as his throat had gone dry with fright.

"I have never witnessed you so lost for words before," Essex mocked him although Remy was unsure if that had been his goal at all. "Tomorrow I will have a different room ready for you and you shall begin your work." Remy could only blink in response; he didn't think a response was necessary anyways. The man turned and left the room, but Remy didn't move for several minutes. He never saw Amanda again.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I know it was months between chapters 2 and 3 and I will do my best to update more often in the future.


	5. Chapter 5

Xavier frowned the next morning as he read Remy's detailed report. It wasn't the report that disappointed him, it was the fact that Remy hadn't responded to his invitation to meet. He was ashamed that his comments the night before had such a negative impact on the young man. He responded after a few minutes thanking the man for his report and reiterating the invitation to meet at their usual cafe. He didn't need the distractions or illusions of a new setting like the elaborate restaurant they had met at the last time had offered.

He awaited a response that never came, and worried that he had pushed the young man too far. He held back from sending an invitation once again, perhaps if he backed off a little the man would come around. He wired the boy's payment and thanked him again for his work. He thought that a break from the relationship may do them both good; it had become difficult to simply think of Remy as his employee. In his opinion the boy was too young to be completely on his own, but Xavier could do nothing to change that.

His worry for Remy was pushed aside gradually as the X-Men went through one major change after another. The team grew larger and the school enrollment reached its limits for the first time since it had opened. He recruited new mutants to fight for his cause and many of them became teachers for the increasingly popular school. He got lost in his work as he saw signs that his dream was finally beginning to succeed.

His attention turned to politics a few months later and he went to Washington DC often to bring awareness to the discrimination that was pressed upon mutants and fought to enact new laws to protect them. Dr. Hank McCoy often joined him and the two of them were optimistic that they would gain some rights for mutants when sympathies briefly turned to their side. It was a devastating blow when the short-lived support was withdrawn and they were once again alone in their fight.

He hardly noticed that he had stopped keeping in regular contact with Remy until it had been too late. At first he had continued to invite the man to meet with him, but Remy hardly acknowledged his requests. When he finally did acknowledge the requests he had more excuses then Xavier could dissuade. He grasped for reasons to stay in contact with Remy thinking up unnecessary jobs that he could offer the boy in his effort to bring him back. Nothing he said was accepted by Remy; the boy seemed to no longer be interested in continuing their relations.

Regardless of that, Remy continued to write him and he was glad to not lose the boy completely. Sometimes the e-mails were full of formalities that had become long ago unnecessary and sometimes they were simple in language and in thought. The boy seemed to be exploring the world, describing a new location every few messages. That realization made him worry less because he accepted that Remy needed to explore his options at this time in his life. He was amused by the boy's love of Australia. Fields of strawberries, beautiful beaches and accents that made him feel less self-conscience of his own were only a few of the reasons the boy had listed. That had brought a smile to his face because of the simplicity of such an admission. Remy had always been complex and Xavier was relieved to see him find wonder in the world around him.

His distastes of cold weather didn't surprise Xavier and led him to invite the boy to visit the next summer when New York would once again be warm. Remy once again ignored the recommendation and instead informed him that he would be traveling back to Western Europe soon. The boy seemed to be enjoying himself and Xavier was content to live vicariously. Xavier had seen enough of the world to understand the subtle details of his travels. Remy's email about France had warmed his heart as the boy admitted he found a café that reminded him of the one they often visited in New York. He was glad to hear Remy still thought of him even though he was reluctant to talk of anything more important than landmarks and delicacies. It gave him hope that the boy would one day return.

The team had become large and talented enough by that point that Remy wasn't really necessary anymore; although Xavier was prepared to welcome him back if the boy simply requested it. The information that he had always relied on Remy for was gathered by the X-Men now. Sometimes Wolverine would act alone, other times a team would back up Kitty as she slipped into sensitive places. They also now had Kurt who didn't live permanently at the mansion but could always be called upon if a situation arose. They made things work with what they had, but Xavier would never forget that Remy had been essential in the previous years when such things hadn't been possible.

Six months after Remy had broken into the mansion Xavier decided to stop asking the boy to meet him. He had been wrong about his previous assessment; Remy was old enough to decide what to do on his own. He was glad that the boy still informed him of his travels and he made sure to thank the boy for the updates. He wasn't terribly concerned when he didn't hear from Remy the next few weeks, but when he hadn't heard from Remy at all the next month he was compelled to send the boy a message inquiring if he was alright. When his message yielded no response he became alarmed.

A flare of mutant powers and the destruction of a building in Seattle turned his attention away from Remy once again. He deployed the X-Men immediately which turned out to be a mistake. The X-Men arrived just in time to be blamed for the incident by the unhelpful camera crews that surrounded the place. They never found the mutant responsible and Xavier was confounded by the person's disappearance. The FOH was quickly sent in and the X-Men retreated in order to prevent further injuries. Overall the mission had been a disaster and it required much of his attention to dissuade the attention that had been placed on his X-Men.

By the time his attention had turned back to Remy it had been six months since he heard from the boy and he had a hard time hiding his nervousness about Remy's disappearance. He tried to convince himself that perhaps Remy had gone on a job that didn't allow such contact, but he knew something was wrong. He tried scanning for the boy regularly, but knew Remy's shields were somehow capable of keeping him well hidden.

When his worry had threatened to overwhelm him he did the only thing he could think of to inquire about Remy's safety. He knew the boy had been exiled, but even an exiled thief was still a child of the Guild so he contacted Mr. LeBeau. The conversation was short and offered him little reassurance. LeBeau was still angry about past communications and Remy was not a topic that he welcomed discussing. However by the end of the conversation Xavier was fairly certain that LeBeau was just as worried about Remy as he was. The Guild had exiled the boy with good reason LeBeau had assured him, but he did not wish harm to come to him. He had admitted that his contacts had been unable to find Remy for some time, but the Guild Master believed the boy was still traveling the world like he had been. Xavier disagreed and asked for LeBeau to contact him if he had any new information to offer.

It was a little over a week later when Jean-Luc LeBeau contacted him, his voice slightly panicked. "Why are you searching for Remy?" he had asked the question unexpectedly and Xavier struggled to answer it.

"I'm worried he may be in trouble," Xavier admitted. "He normally contacts me regularly, but I haven't heard from him in months."

"His accounts have been inactive for months," Jean-Luc informed him.

"Perhaps he has others that you aren't aware of," Xavier replied.

"Remy and I have no quarrel Xavier, I sent him away in order to save his life," he explained. "My son would have no reason to hide money from me."

"Your son?" Xavier was surprised by the statement.

"So you do not know as much about him as you pretend," he sighed. "Yes, Remy is my son and I believe your worry is warranted."

"That is not reassuring," Xavier retorted.

"It was not meant to be," Jean-Luc replied. "When was the last time you heard from him?" he asked.

"It has been months," Xavier informed him.

"Can you be more specific?" the man asked.

He was in front of his computer so he searched for the last message he had received and informed the man that it had been dated almost seven months earlier.

"No one has heard from him since then," Jean-Luc informed him. "Have you been searching?"

"Of course," Xavier replied. "Have you?"

"I admit I wasn't paying much attention until your call," Jean-Luc admitted. "He is exiled; I cannot afford to spend much time worrying about the boy."

"But he's your son," Xavier reminded him even though the information was new to him.

"He does not need me interfering," Jean-Luc replied curtly.

Xavier wanted to reply angrily to the statement but he allowed the moment to pass. He now more than ever was glad he paid close attention to the boy. Remy needed someone to continue looking out for him. "I will keep searching," he informed Jean-Luc.

"As will I," the man informed him. "I will share any information I find and I expect the same in return," Jean-Luc demanded.

"Of course," Xavier agreed easily. He wanted as many people as possible to be out looking for the boy.


	6. Chapter 6

Remy did his best not to anger Essex as he tried to repay his debt to the man for saving his life in Seattle. He was kept away from the lab that he had accidently stumbled upon in his failed attempt to escape. He was glad that he was never again forced to look at the monsters that he knew would always haunt his dreams. The doctor treated him well and the things he was asked to do were far simpler then he had imagined would be asked of him.

The first tasks were the easiest, although he wasn't sure why he was the one assigned to do them. He built a team for the man by assembling people from different parts of the world. They quickly became his friends and he was grateful to finally overcome his loneliness. His freedom though restricted wasn't completely taken away. He could go out with the others as long as Doctor Essex knew where they would be. He wasn't sure what the other team member's skills were when he recruited them, but knowing his own expertise was thieving he assumed theirs would be something complimentary.

They along with Essex helped him improve his fighting skills and it felt good to be part of a team once again. The longer they worked together the more Remy felt a camaraderie that he had missed since he had been exiled from the Guild. They raided labs and stole research that Doctor Essex convinced him was essential to the future safety of mutants like himself. It took time, but he was eventually convinced that the man was helping the monsters that he had stumbled upon. Essex persuaded him to believe that the harshness Remy remembered was simply a distortion of their conversation because he had been on very strong pain medication at the time. It hadn't been an easy sell, but eventually Remy conceded the point because he badly wanted to believe the man. Being a part of the team made him feel important and that wasn't something he wanted to give up.

Eventually Essex fixed his powers and he was no longer required to wear the power inhibiting bracelet that had become a constant for months. He wasn't sure how long he had been working for the man, but by fixing his powers he once again became indebted to the man which insured his continual cooperation. Even after he learned that some of his new friends were killers he continued to work off his debt without rebellion. It wasn't anything new to him; he had almost been forced to marry a child of the Assassins Guild after all.

It wasn't until the first time he met a man named Victor Creed that the illusions he had allowed to cloud his judgment were tested. The man killed unnecessarily and threatened to kill Remy as well when he attempted to intervene on one occasion. For the first time since his first failed attempt at escaping Remy began looking for an opportunity to flee. He was careful not to show signs of his unhappiness so that he didn't draw suspicion to himself. At the moment Essex seemed to trust him and Remy tried not to upset that newly disturbed trust so that he could continue to enjoy the same liberties that he had always been allowed.

His chance came while out on a mission with the team that Essex had newly named Marauders. He was ordered to enter the back of the building alone and meet the team in the computer lab after he turned off the building's alarms which would then allow the rest of the Marauders to enter without any resistance. He completed the first part of his mission and let the team in before locking the building down and fleeing. He knew it only gave him a few minutes to get away, but he used every minute he had to escape.

He fled without pause until he reached the house that he was now about to enter. He picked the lock on the backdoor easily and slipped inside knowing that the lock was not what kept the occupants of the house safe. He entered the security code that he had long ago memorized into the keypad and closed his eyes in hopes that it hadn't been changed. When nothing happened he opened his eyes and let out a breath of relief that the code had been accepted.

He walked over to the fridge and was comforted to find a large pot of gumbo in it. He took the pot out and set it upon the counter next to the fridge before removing a bowl and ladle from nearby cabinets and filling his bowl. He grabbed a spoon and began eating the flavorful food cold. He didn't warm it because he feared he only had a few minutes before he would be caught and then possibly turned away.

He was halfway finished with his bowl when the kitchen lights came on and he quickly swallowed a few more bites of food. "It tastes better warm," the man informed him as he walked towards Remy's position in the kitchen. Remy nodded and didn't put up a fight when the man took the bowl out of his hand. "Where have you been?" he questioned as he appraised Remy's appearance.

"I don't have much time," Remy explained as he looked away and placed his spoon down on the counter behind him.

"Who are you running from?"

"Nathaniel," Remy informed him as their eyes met in an uncomfortable gaze.

"The doctor?" he questioned.

"Oui," Remy admitted.

"We did a full background on him," he was informed.

"Wasn't good enough," Remy replied.

A sigh escaped the man's lips and he lifted the lid from the pot on the counter and filled it once again before speaking. Remy gazed at it hopeful that it would be returned to him, but resisted the urge to ask for it back. He hadn't been starved while with Essex, but he needed whatever energy he could get in order to continue fleeing. "What do you need?" the man finally asked without offering the bowl back.

"Some money, a new identity and a way out of the country," Remy admitted knowing he was asking much of the man and hoping it would be given to him.

"How much money?"

"As much as you have in cash," Remy replied. "Nothing traceable," he added to make himself clear even though that was likely already understood. He watched as the man retreated from him and he sighed as he feared he wouldn't be helped.

"I will need a few hours," the man explained and Remy smiled as the bowl was placed in the microwave. "Eat then get some sleep," he urged, "I will wake you when everything is prepared."

"Merci papa," Remy thanked.

For a moment Remy thought the man looked worried, but the emotion was hidden so quickly that Remy realized he must have imagined it. The man nodded at him before starting the microwave and leaving the room. Remy watched him go sadly and wished that their relationship wasn't so strained. He didn't fault the man for his coldness; he shouldn't be helping Remy at all. If the Guild found out it would ruin everything his father had worked so hard to build and Remy didn't want to be at fault for that. When the microwave beeped complete he took the bowl out and sat at the table to quickly finish it. When he was done he set his bowl in the sink and put the pot back in the refrigerator and left the kitchen.

He was just passing by the door of Jean-Luc's office when the man called out to him. "Remy," he said from his seat behind a large oak desk.

"Oui," Remy replied as he paused in the doorway but failed to enter.

"Sleep in my room," Jean-Luc told him as he looked up at him briefly.

"Merci papa," he replied before leaving the room and going upstairs. He laid down on the familiar bed and almost instantly fell asleep.

It seemed like he had only been asleep for a few moments when Jean-Luc woke him gently by brushing hair out of his face and whispering softly. Remy opened his eyes and and looked at the man tiredly. "You should go," Jean-Luc informed him, "it will be dawn soon."

"Merci," Remy said as he rubbed at his eyes and sat up slowly.

" Je suis désolé mon fils.," Jean-Luc admitted as he stood up from his seat on the bed. "Shower quickly," Jean-Luc urged him. "There are clothes awaiting you in the washroom and breakfast will be ready when you come downstairs."

Remy nodded and watched Jean-Luc leave the room before doing as he was told. When he came downstairs he could smell the delicious food and was surprised to find Jean-Luc cooking instead of Tante Mattie. He wondered where the woman was because he would have loved to see her. "Sit petite," the man told him as he entered the room. A cup of coffee was placed before him and he savored it slowly while opening a white envelope that had been placed on the table beside it. The envelope contained a passport naming him Christian Castille that had several official looking visa stamps on its pages. Two sets of plane tickets would get him to either Portugal or South Africa. Jean-Luc had planned well, this way the man wouldn't know where he was initially going.

Jean-Luc set a plate in front of him and drew his attention upward. "Would you like help getting to the airport?" he questioned.

"Non papa," he assured, "merci for everything." Remy ate his meal silently and committed his new identity to memory.

"I cannot give you much cash," Jean-Luc informed him as he sat down beside Remy at the table. Remy nodded dismissively but Jean-Luc continued, "it would be suspicious at the airport petite."

"Oui," Remy nodded in agreement, he had forgotten about that detail in his haste.

"You are a college student backpacking," Jean-Luc explained. "Art major looking for exotic places to draw," he continued the illusion, "try to suppress your accent when talking to officials." Remy nodded as he continued to eat while listening. "This account will never be empty," Jean-Luc told him as he set a bankcard on the table.

"Can't have anything traceable," Remy reminded him.

"It's as untraceable as possible," Jean-Luc assured, "just use it sparingly."

"Merci papa," he told him again.

Jean-Luc left the room only to return a few seconds later with a backpack. "This will help your story," he informed Remy. "It has a few sets of clothes, new sneakers, some water and a few thousand dollars. Declare your money to customs petite, explain your story."

"Oui," he agreed easily as he finished his plate.

"Xavier has been searching for you," Jean-Luc took a moment to inform him.

"Tell him to stop," Remy urged.

"You should never have gotten that involved," Jean-Luc scolded.

"Oui, I know pere," Remy agreed as he stood up from the table.

"Find a way to assure me of your safety," Jean-Luc requested.

"Will try," Remy agreed as he slipped his passport and plane tickets into the backpack and shouldered it.

"Je t'aime mon fils," Jean-Luc said as he pulled him into a fierce hug.

"Je t'aime aussi papa," he replied before pulling away and slipping out the backdoor he had entered only a few hours earlier.

* * *

A/N: I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed. You're encouragement is very much appreciated! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Brazos- I had a nice holiday thank you! (Any day off is always nice) I hope you had a good one as well!


	7. Chapter 7

Xavier re-read the e-mail once again. It was all he had done that morning; over and over again he read the last e-mail that he had received from Remy hoping for some sort of clue to suddenly appear in it. The message was dated one year ago, it had been one full year since he had heard from the boy and still they were no closer to finding Remy. His search for Remy never revealed anything.

His resources and contacts coupled with Jean-Luc LeBeau's should have found the boy easily, but they didn't. Remy was either purposely hiding from them or someone must have hidden him so well that the boy didn't have the opportunity to contact anyone for assistance. Xavier prayed that Remy was hiding for some reason even though he knew the latter was more realistic.

By the time Remy had gone missing for a full year Xavier's communication with Jean-Luc had become constant. He felt as if he had failed Remy and sensed that Jean-Luc shared a similar guilt. He was reluctant to call their bond friendship, but was at a loss of what else to name it. Jean-Luc was very different from his son; while Remy hid behind formalities Jean-Luc expressed himself very directly. He seemed to be just as disappointed in Remy as he was concerned.

Xavier sensed Scott's worry before the man had even neared the door to his office. The knock was not unexpected, but he was reluctant to answer it. He didn't have any reassuring words to offer and he wasn't interested in explaining Remy to the man. Still, he was unable to turn Scott away so he called out giving the man permission to enter.

"You missed dinner," Scott's voice conveying his deep worry.

"I am simply not hungry tonight," Xavier explained as he failed to meet the other man's eyes.

"I have known you for years Professor, I know there is something going on," he insisted.

"I assure you Scott," Xavier replied, "all will be well tomorrow." It wasn't a lie any more than it was the truth. Tomorrow it would be a year and a day since his young friend went missing and although he would still be troubled, the lack of significance would make it easier not to dwell. "I wish to be alone," he said perhaps too dismissively.

"Of course," Scott replied immediately before turning to leave the room.

Xavier immediately regretted his tone, none of this was Scott's fault and he didn't mean to take it out on him. He looked at the phone once again and couldn't resist picking it up any longer. He dialed the now familiar number to Jean-Luc and was saddened when the man failed to answer it.

As predicted the next day allowed him to fall back into his duties and he finally accepted that the chances that they would find Remy had become very slim.

The X-Men grew to be an excellent team just in time it seemed. A new team of mutants had begun stealing research and destroying labs all across the country. They seemed to always be a step ahead of the X-Men no matter how quickly the team responded. Any glance that the X-Men got of them was fleeting at best for months. Their actions puzzled Xavier and his X-Men, their goal simply seemed to be to gather research. Witnesses always attested that they hadn't even seen the team and only a few casualties were ever found. It was truly puzzling and as the X-Men worked to find out who gathered the team, who led the team, or simply who was on the team; they encountered an endless cycle of dead-ends.

Then one day the team seemed to become arrogant and began killing everyone in their path. Several missions showed the same pattern; it seemed that the team had changed its tactics completely. It was a startling change from their earlier pattern of limited violence and the X-Men increased their vigilance. The team was difficult to predict, they seemed to randomly hit targets in various cities. In a week they would hit different research facilities in Atlanta, Detroit, and San Antonio. It was an unpredictable strike, but the X-Men stayed alert.

Finally their vigilance paid off and the X-Men reached their location before the team was able to disappear. They found Victor Creed arrogantly waiting for them and he introduced his team as the Marauders before they successfully fled through a portal that the X-Men had never encountered before. The X-Men had informed him that they couldn't identify the rest of the team, but it was a starting point that they would not waste. They realized that Creed must have been a new addition; he would not have been involved with the nonviolent group that had kept themselves well hidden earlier.

Through everything his unusual and indefinable relationship with Jean-Luc LeBeau continued as they contacted each other sporadically. Remy had been missing for over 16 months when he received the call from Jean-Luc informing him that the boy had been found. The man seemed to almost be threatening him as he informed him of the details of Remy's desperate visit. "You must stop searching for him," was the first sentence that Jean-Luc had uttered. The plea in his otherwise demanding voice was enough to convince Xavier of his sincerity.

"You found him?" Xavier questioned immediately.

"He needed my help," Jean-Luc admitted.

"Is he alright?"

"I don't know what went wrong." Jean-Luc said and Xavier clearly heard the hesitation in the other's voice. "He's running from one of his best clients."

"Perhaps I could help," Xavier offered.

"He should be out of the country by now," Jean-Luc admitted. "I waited 2 days before informing you, the man may be watching both of us."

"Who?" Xavier asked.

Jean-Luc paused but Xavier didn't mind his reluctance to explain. "Dr. Nathaniel Essex," he finally admitted. "Remy has known him longer then he has known you," Jean-Luc continued. "I didn't ask for an explanation, there wasn't time. Have you heard of the man?"

"No," Xavier admitted. "Remy and I never discussed his other clients. He made it clear that I was overstepping if I inquired."

"Nathaniel constantly had jobs for him and Remy never complained about the man. I've redone a background check on him and it reveals nothing unusual. I do not know what happened, but I have no doubts that my son was running for a reason. I shouldn't be telling you this," Jean-Luc admitted.

"I have no doubts that Remy would only run if he had good reason," Xavier replied.

"Will you see what you can find about the man?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Of course," Xavier assured. "If you speak with Remy tell him I can offer him safety."

"You would harbor him knowing that he is being targeted?" Jean-Luc questioned.

"Yes," Xavier assured. "He will always be welcome in my home."

"I should go," Jean-Luc concluded.

"Please tell him to come here," Xavier insisted again.

"I will," Jean-Luc agreed, "but I am uncertain if he will contact me."

Xavier placed the phone back down on its receiver slowly before sitting back and letting the information Jean-Luc had just thrown at him sink in. He was relieved that Remy had been found, but he was also unfairly sad that Remy had not come to him for help. It was ridiculous for him to be disappointed that the boy chose to come to his father.

He dismissed the thought quickly as he looked down at the name he had written on the pad before him. Dr Nathaniel Essex, it wasn't a name he was familiar with. If the background checks that Jean-Luc had done didn't reveal anything then he had doubts that simply running a new one would give him any more information, but he had to try. He and Jean-Luc were both powerful and influential people so many of their contacts were the same, but he quickly thought of anyone that Jean-Luc wouldn't have contacted.

A background check revealed very little just as he had anticipated. Dr. Nathaniel Essex was a private physician specializing in internal medicine whose current residence was listed as Boston Massachusetts. The picture that accompanied the file revealed a man of middle age who easily looked professional and demanding. The man's background revealed that he had moved from coast to coast a few times, but nothing about the relocation was unusual or suspicious. However if he was an honest doctor as his file claimed then he wouldn't have needed the skills of the thieves guild. As ridiculous as the idea sounded, Xavier wondered if it was Remy who had altered the man's records.

Essex, the name wasn't common and he was sure that he hadn't heard it before. The man in the picture looked unfamiliar, but the picture could have been faked. He could have been a complete illusion, a fictional name for a fictional character, but why use an odd name like Essex? Why not use a name like Smith or Miller? Why go through the extreme of having a complete persona created to mask some hidden identity. What could he possibly be hiding that Jean-Luc didn't find? More importantly, why was Remy running from him?

He was troubled by the questions floating around in his head, but failed to find a quick answer to any of them. He almost laughed as he realized he would have requested Remy's help with something like this in the past. He had always been reluctant to involve the X-Men in anything relating to the young man, but now for the first time he considered who would be able to help him find some answers.


	8. Chapter 8

Once Remy had arrived in South Africa he immediately left the country and flew to Ireland. Even though Jean-Luc had carefully given him two options, he understood the man's unspoken demand that he stay in neither of them. He had chosen Ireland simply because he had never before traveled there. Perhaps it would have been wiser to choose a country he was familiar with, but he worried that Nathanial Essex would know where to look for him so he tried to stay unpredictable.

Now that he stood in the terminal in Ireland and gazed out at the unfamiliar city the magnitude of what he was doing hit him and he swallowed hard to prevent tears from forming in his eyes. At 20 years old he never imagined he'd be exiled from his family and running from a madman using a new alias. His life had spiraled out of his control many years ago and he wondered which of his decisions had sealed this fate. He turned forcefully from the window and walked to the restroom.

As he gazed into the mirror in the airport restroom he realized that he'd have to change his appearance in order to complete his identity change. An easy change would be to steal dark glasses to replace his customary ruby red ones. Next would be his hair, he undid the ponytail and allowed the auburn locks to cascade to just above his shoulders. He'd have to darken them and cut them in order to complete his illusion. Would he even recognize himself when he was done?

He found an internet station on his walk out of the airport and he quickly paid for a few minutes. The e-mail was brief, "don't forget to walk the dog," was all he allowed himself to say to his father. It wasn't a code phrase, and they didn't own a dog, but he knew Jean-Luc would realize it was from him and that was all he needed to accomplish. He stood up quickly and made his way out of the airport, with his backpack securely on his shoulders he made his way by foot to the nearby city to begin his new life.

He never thought he would enjoy staying in Hostels instead of his usual penthouse suites, but it made life more exciting. He was truly backpacking because he didn't feel it was safe to use the limitless bankcard that Jean-Luc had given him. The cash that his father had supplied would last him a while, but he kept most of it reserved in case he needed it to make a quick getaway. So instead of relying on that he sometimes sat in parks and drew portraits for money, and he sometimes did some petty thieving to get by. He never did large jobs, nothing complicated, and nothing that would garner attention. He only stole what he needed, in many ways he was back to his life before Jean-Luc, but in many ways it was different. He was no longer a naive child, and he was no longer powerless. This time he wouldn't be taken advantage of and he knew it.

His earlier travels made things easier because he already knew a lot about various cities around the world. He tried not to go anywhere that he had previously spent long periods of time because he feared being recognized or remembered. He had a hard time adjusting to using his new name, giving up the last name that Jean-Luc had given him was more difficult than giving up his first name because it meant much more to him. He often practiced introducing himself as Christian Castille because he wanted it to come out more natural than it had been sounding.

The clothes Jean-Luc had packed for him were far different then the designer labels that he had grow accustomed to. When he needed new ones, he made sure they were similarly simple. It took some adjusting, a lot of adjusting for him to grow accustomed to his new life, but being away from Creed was worth it. He tried not to think about the fact that he couldn't run forever, he hoped to figure something out before his luck ran out and he was caught.

He continued his lonely travels throughout Western Europe for months until one day he met Genevieve and suddenly stopped caring that he was running for his life. She was truthfully a traveling art student much like his fake story pretended he was. He envied that, envied that someone was allowed such a normal life. She was a few inches shorter than him, but taller than most women. Her golden brown hair cascaded down her back in loose curls that she always complained about.

Genevieve was staying at the same Hostel that he had chosen in Greece; it was a lucky coincidence they both decided. Perhaps it had even been fate although neither had ever believed in fate before that day. She was drawing a picture while sitting on the front steps of the Hostel when he first approached her. "Ello Belle," he greeted as he sat beside her. "What are you drawing?"

"Belle?" she questioned, "are you French?" Her beautifully accented voice already informed him that she was and the hope that shined in her eyes almost made him lie.

"Non," he replied apologetically, "American."

"But you know French," she stated in her native language.

"Oui," he agreed.

"Are you a student?" she asked him curiously.

"Oui," he agreed, he had been living the lie for so long that it now felt true even to him.

"I'm just drawing the sunset," she informed him as she tilted the picture towards him. The oil pastels that she used were blended perfectly and she seemed unfazed by the mess they created upon her hands.

"It's almost as beautiful as you," he teased.

"Flatterer," she replied with a smile that revealed her dimples.

"Always cher," he assured.

"I'm Genevieve," she introduced as she set her drawing pad down upon her lap.

"Christian," he tried not to show his relief when the name slipped out without the awkwardness that had been present for months.

"How long are you staying here?" she asked.

He shrugged dismissively, "until it's time to move on."

"How long have you been here?"

"About a week," Remy replied. "How long will you be here?"

"That depends," she replied.

"On what?" he implored.

"Whether I can find a decent tour guide in this city or not," she informed him.

"I think I could recommend one," he replied.

"He has to be good," she teased.

"He be da best," Remy assured.

"Meet me here in the morning?" she asked as she stood, "around eight?"

"It be my pleasure Genevieve," he insisted.

"I'll see you then Christian," she replied before leaving him alone.

***

They stopped in a coffee shop as they took a break from their touring. Two cappuccinos was all they were interested in, neither ordered a pastry in hopes that lunch would soon follow the morning coffee break. She looked up at him sweetly from her seat across the table, "Christian doesn't suit you," she informed him with a teasing smile.

"Non?" he asked trying hard not to look worried. "What does?"

She cocked her head to the side as if she was inspecting him, "I'm not sure yet," she admitted. "Come on," she suggested as she rose to her feet and pulled on his hand. "We have much to see!" Excitement filled her and he found himself hurrying behind her, their coffee left behind forgotten.

They spent the day together, it was a wonderful day. They stopped for lunch and he teased her as much as she teased him. Their connection was immediate and Remy hated that he was forced to lie to her. It was necessary he struggled to convince himself, but he still had trouble with the guilt.

That night they found themselves alone in the moonlight at a park near the Hostel. Remy sat on the ground while Genevieve sat on his lap. "I don't think you need these," she said as she brought her hand up to his sunglasses.

He held his breath as she removed them and forced his eyes to remain open. She needed to know, she needed to see before they moved any further. Shock settled upon her beautiful face as she stared into his uncanny red on black eyes. He reached for the sunglasses back and expected her to stand up from his lap once the shock had passed. She held onto the glasses and after a moment a smile spread upon her face, "Red," she said startling him.

"Oui," he breathed, "I know dey strange."

"They're beautiful," she assured and he settled his hand across her lap once again. "I'm going to call you Red," she explained. "It suits you much better than Christian," she continued before leaning forward to capture his lips with her own.

He brought one hand up to cup her cheek as he returned the kiss. "Vieve," he said the name breathless as he pulled away from her.

"Yes Red?" she asked smugly.

"You sure?" he needed to make sure that his eyes really weren't a problem.

"I love them," she assured before kissing him again. He believed her that time. "Sit still," she ordered as she put her hand on his chest, "I want to draw you."

"What if I don't want you to?" he questioned with a smirk.

"Lean back," she said as her hand lightly pressed on his chest.

"I thought you wanted me to stay still," he teased.

She smiled and shook her head as she repositioned his hands to hold him while he reclined. "Now stay still," she insisted.

"This ain't too comfortable," he complained.

"Stop whining," she mocked which made him laugh for the first time in months. "Stay still," she insisted again as she picked up one of the drawing pads that they had set beside them.


End file.
